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Active Community Environments are places where people
of all ages and abilities can easily enjoy walking, bicycling,
and other forms of recreation. Priority recommendations
include utilization of urban planning, transportation
policy and infrastructure changes to promote non-motorized
transportation, as well as enhancement of safety and perceived
safety of communities.
The descriptions below illustrates what organizations
and communities are doing to support active community
environments.
DASH
is working to make Jefferson County (Washington)
accessible for everyone. DASH is an organization
of people with and without disabilities who believe
that a disability does not lessen a person's worth,
and that education and advocacy are key to improving
community access for people with disabilities. We
share a commitment to total accessibility and to
achieving a community environment in which people
with disabilities have opportunities to participate
in every aspect of community life equal to those
of people without disabilities. DASH is a community
advocacy project of the Olympic Area Agency on Aging.
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Target
audience: Persons with disabilities.
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Evaluation:
DASH monitors improvements to sidewalks and curb
ramps, bus stops, public buildings, and restaurants.
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Partners:
Olympic Area Agency on Aging, Jefferson County,City
of Port Townsend, Jefferson Transit, Washington
State Dept. of Health, University of Washington
Center for Disability Policy and Research
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Lead
agency role: DASH was founded in Jefferson County
in 1999. In that time, the 12 member board has worked
collaboratively with Jefferson County, the city
of Port Townsend, the county's only hospital, the
Port of Port Townsend, Jefferson Transit, the Chamber
of Commerce and many local restaurants. DASH coordinates
a "Disability Awareness Event" in April
of each year. DASH produces "Disability Friendly
Restaurant" brochures featuring accessible
Port Townsend and Jeffeson County eateries. DASH
and the city of Port Townsend have collaborated
on the production of the "Accessible Port Townsend
Map". DASH is also working with the county's
four school districts to incorporate disability
awareness into the schools' curricula. DASH board
members sit on the Jefferson Transit Community Advisory
Board, the Port Townsend Non-motorized Transportation
Committee, and the City Hall annex advisory board.
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For
more information:
Lesa
Barnes
Tel: 360-379-0274
DASH
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The
Skagit County Physical Activity Coalition (SCPAC)
in partnership with the Skagit Council of Governments
worked to form a non motorized citizens' advisory
group. We met with the Regional Transportation Planning
Organization (RTPO) and were given approval to proceed
with creating the committee as a subcommittee of
RTPO in August 2003. We created a committee membership
that has representation from all geographic sectors
of the county, includes transportation, land use
and public works planners, traffic safety, engineers,
public health, tribes, older adult, bicycle, and
pedestrain advocates. In February 2004 our group
was selected to participate in the Washington State
ACES Project. Our first priority has been to conduct
community assessments for policy, safety, walkability
and bikability in the cities that comprise the Metroploitan
Planning Organization (Mount Vernon, Burlington,
Sedro Woolley) and Anacortes. We have completed
the assessments for Mount Vernon and Anacortes.
Utilizing the assessment information we have completed
drafting three short term and three mid term goals
for each city. We're presently sharing the data
from the assessments with the city mayors, the RTPO
Technical Advisory Committee, Planning Committee
and Board. We see this sharing of information as
a way to build credibility for our committee and
will be asking these cities to be involved in the
upcoming comprehensive planning process as well
as offering to serve in an advisoty capacity on
future projects that they have that include non
motorized considerations.
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Target
audience: Residents of Skagit County and policy
and decision makers.
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Evaluation:
The ACE Assessment Tool provides a community baseline.
As we work on creating action steps for our goals
and then implementing them we should see changes
in assessment scores when the assessment process
is repeated.
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Partners:
Skagit Council of Governments, Skagit County Regional
Transportation Planning Organization, Skagit County,
Metropolitan Planning Organization, Skagit County
Health Department, Skagit County Public Works, City
of Anacortes, City of Mount Vernon, Swinomish Tribe,
Skagit Bicycle Club, Washington State Departments
of Transportation and Health, Community Economic
Trade and Development, Skagit County Traffic Safety,
Semrau Engineering, Skagit County Parks and Recreation,
Skagit Valley Hospital, Island Hospital, Tesoro
Northwest Company, Anacortes School District.
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Lead
agency role: SCPAC works to improve health in
our county by increasing opportunities for residents
to be physically active.
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For
more information:
Liz
McNett Crowl
Tel: 360-428-2331
Fax: 360-428-8222
Web: Be
Active Skagit
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The
M.A.L.L.A.R.D. (Mobility Awareness Life-Long Accessibility
Regardless of Disability) project seeks to improve
and increase opportunities for people with mobility
related disabilities to participate in the community.
MALLARD identifies barriers that serve as obstacles
in the community for people with mobility related
disabilities; works to educate the community around
the rights and contributions made by people with
mobility-related disabilities; partners with local
agencies, organizations and businesses to increase
our communities capacity for accessibility; and
works together on promoting and educating and increasing
physical activity to mobilize citizens to become
physically active and healthier.
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Target
audience: Seniors, Families, Adults and children
with disabilities.
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Evaluation:
At our community events we will ask individuals
to fill out a survey to help determine the impact
of our program. Through the surveys we can see if
educating the community on barrier removal has benefited
there establishment. If individuals have the opportunity
to have access to eveything available in their local
community it will improve nutrition and physical
activity.
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Partners:
Olympic Area Agency on Aging, DOH, University of
Washington Center for Disability Policy & Research,
and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Lead
agency role: The Coastal
Community Action Program was incorporated and
began serviced in the fall 1965. Originally organized
as part of the nation's war on poverty, the agency
has expanded to provide services in Grays Harbor
and Pacific Counties, which reaches more than 20,000
individuals annually. The services include Housing
services, Emergency assistance, Transportation services,
Volunteer services, Employment services, In-home
care services, Information and referral services,
and Nutrition and meal services. Our target populations
include Disabled population, Senior population,
and Low-income households.
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For
more information:
Mary Valentine
Tel: 360-533-511 x 111
Fax: 360-532-4623
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